While purists will undoubtedly claim that the original run of Zelda games was its golden era, many, Nintendo likely included, would almost assuredly state that it was its Wilds era, starting with the incredible and genre-defining The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Its departure from the more linear, dungeon-focused experiences of the past was certainly drastic, but its unique approach to open-world design, coupled with its meteoric success that saw it easily surpass the sales of the series' previously best-selling game, meant that it and its sequel remain the best-performing and best-known entries.
However, as successful as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were, it has felt like the Wilds era has been over for quite some time. Nintendo has expressed no desire to capitalize on their success, instead returning to the annals of Zelda history to remake classic titles. This has meant that the future of Zelda games is ambiguous at best, a frustrating wrinkle in an otherwise exciting new era. Yet, while the Wilds era may be coming to a close, Nintendo does still have one final release up its sleeve that die-hard fans are sure to...
